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A9 9420 vs Core i5-2520M


Description
The 9420 is based on Excavator architecture while the i5-2520M is based on Sandy Bridge.

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the 9420 gets a score of 26.2 k points while the i5-2520M gets 50.2 k points.

Summarizing, the i5-2520M is 1.9 times faster than the 9420. To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
670f00
206a7
Core
Stoney Ridge
Sandy Bridge
Architecture
Base frecuency
3 GHz
2.5 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.6 GHz
3.2 GHz
Socket
Micro-BGA
BGA1023
Cores/Threads
2/2
2/2
TDP
15 W
35 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
96+2x32 kB
2x32+2x32 kB
Cache L2
1024 kB
2x256 kB
Cache L3
0 kB
3072 kB
Date
April 2017
February 2011
Mean monothread perf.
33.09k points
24.13k points
Mean multithread perf.
46.33k points
50.23k points

Non-optimized benchmark
The benchmark in Mode 0 (FPU) measures cpu performance with non-optimized software. It uses the basic µinstructions from the i386 architecture with the i387 floating point unit. This mode is compatible with all CPUs so it's practical to compare very different CPUs
Monothread
9420
i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
2.56k
2.69k (x1.05)
Test#2 (FP)
9.97k
7.28k (x0.73)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
2.96k
3.84k (x1.3)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.12k
3.05k (x1.44)
TOTAL
17.61k
16.86k (x0.96)

Multithread

9420

i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
3.88k
6.08k (x1.57)
Test#2 (FP)
9.26k
16.15k (x1.74)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.9k
8.87k (x2.27)
Test#1 (Memory)
1.74k
3.06k (x1.76)
TOTAL
18.79k
34.15k (x1.82)

AVX optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode II (AVX) is optimized to used 256 bits registers beside the first version of the Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX). The first AVX compatible CPU was released in 2011.
Monothread
9420
i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
7.55k
9.04k (x1.2)
Test#2 (FP)
13.9k
8.03k (x0.58)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.11k
4.06k (x1.31)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.18k
2.99k (x1.37)
TOTAL
26.74k
24.13k (x0.9)

Multithread

9420

i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
9.09k
19.82k (x2.18)
Test#2 (FP)
12.25k
18.12k (x1.48)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3k
9.23k (x3.07)
Test#1 (Memory)
1.81k
3.06k (x1.7)
TOTAL
26.15k
50.23k (x1.92)

Performance/W
9420
i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
606 points/W
566 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
817 points/W
518 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
200 points/W
264 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
120 points/W
88 points/W
TOTAL
1743 points/W
1435 points/W

Performance/GHz
9420
i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
2096 points/GHz
2826 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
3862 points/GHz
2510 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
864 points/GHz
1269 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
604 points/GHz
935 points/GHz
TOTAL
7427 points/GHz
7540 points/GHz

Monothread performance graph
Monothread performance graphics gives the performance vs time. They are useful to measure the time it takes to the CPU to reach the maximum performance.

Usually, CPU's performance will be steady during these tests but if it has a slow frequency strategy, the first samples will show a lower score.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Multithread performance graph
Multithread graphs measure the performance against a heavy load during certain time.

If CPU's TDP doesn't limit the frequency and the machine is properly cooled, performance should remain steady vs time. Otherwise, the performance score will oscillate or decrease over time.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Hardlimit Benchmark Central - Ver. 3.11.4